On solid ground (Herald Sun)

[richmondrules]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22877718-11088,00.html

Jon Ralph

December 06, 2007 12:00am

RICHMOND president Gary March says coach Terry Wallace does not have to make the finals next year for the final season of his five-year contract to be honoured.

Wallace's Tigers were wooden spooners this year and have not finished higher than ninth in his three years at the club.

But March says his coach had a methodical plan to see the club become a genuine top-four chance by 2009, and was on track to deliver.

It comes with the Tigers set to announce the appointment of a new development manager after this week luring highly-rated Demons recruiting manager Craig Cameron.

The club's commitment to the coaching panel means another development coach will be hired soon, and sees it jump into the top eight for football department spending.

March says Wallace's long-term plan to overhaul an ageing list is on track.

"For me, the expectations on Terry Wallace are to see through the plan he came with, which is a five-year plan on completely rebuilding and delivering a list which, at the end of five years, will challenge for the top four," he said.

"That is the goal, to be a top-four side by 2009. Wherever we finish next year, as long as the board believes Terry's plan will come to fruition in 2009, whether we finish first, second, down to 14th.

"Sometimes you can finish 14 or 12th, as Port Adelaide did (2006), and you can still be heading in the right direction.

"The expectation for Terry is more where we believe the list is at.

"If the list completely drops off, and those blokes don't come through, there are question marks, but there are question marks over all of us, not just Terry."

March denied speculation the fan-friendly Wallace had decided to dump most media commitments.

"There is no gag on Terry Wallace," March said.

"When he came to the club, it was in such a horrible state in terms of finances he needed to lift its profile.

"It's more him saying that the club is travelling well, so he doesn't need to be out there spruiking it so much.

"He will still do the football stuff and is keen to do the Tuesdays with Terry press conference."

The club has selected its new general manager of development from a top field of experienced candidates.

Club legend Dale Weightman will also return to a football development role three days a week, with Kevin Sheedy also expected to take on a marketing and promotion role.


TIGERS best-and-fairest winner Paul Broderick was yesterday announced as Nathan Burke's replacement on the AFL's match review panel.

Broderick will join Andrew McKay and former umpire Peter Carey, after Burke resigned post-season when he joined the new St Kilda board.

Broderick played 262 games for Fitzroy and Richmond (1988-2001) and, in recent seasons, has been a part-time Demons coach and assistant coach for the VCFL state side.

[richmondrules]

"The club has selected its new general manager of development from a top field of experienced candidates.

Club legend Dale Weightman will also return to a football development role three days a week, with Kevin Sheedy also expected to take on a marketing and promotion role."

Good news. Interesting about Sheeds.

[blx]

Sheedy huh, thats the first i've heard of this "officially". im wondering whether he meant for the AFL of us.

While i understand the nature of this type of media releases i dont understand why ladder predictions are mede public. It really does not need to be thrown out there. It sets you up for a fall really.

Having said that its a good thing because it shows they are 100% behind Terry. Good news he wont be sacked and will see out his full contract no matter what. This is of utmost importance. Sacking coaches midstream never EVER worked for us as a club and if it happens again i dearly say we would be making the same mistakes all over again, is that what we really want?

The state of the list is where the judgement lies not ladder position. To have a young, quick and skillful list is where our climb starts. I've never seen our list so promising since the Tigers of Old. All these baby steps will eventually become giant strides.

We must stay patient or at least show some resolve that at least we can be confident we're heading in the right direction.... at last.

[mightytiges]

Top 4 by 2009 is a touch too optimistic but March is right to say Plough will be judged by the state of the list as that was his main task when given the 5-year contract.

Noticed March didn't include 15th or 16th in his "whereever we finish" list.   

The club has selected its new general manager of development from a top field of experienced candidates.

Club legend Dale Weightman will also return to a football development role three days a week, with Kevin Sheedy also expected to take on a marketing and promotion role.

Is the Eureka blockbluster idea the start of this marketing and promotion role for Sheeds?

Good to hear further appointments have been made. Anyone know who this new general manager of development is?

[3121]

Great news story for the Richmond faithful.  On the other hand, if Terry scores another wooden spoon, not even Moses will be able to hold the ferals asking for Terry's blood.

[Mr Magic]

Good news he wont be sacked and will see out his full contract no matter what.

It doesn't say that at all.

[rogerd3]

perhaps all those lapsed members can expect a call from sheeds real soon.

[Little Jackie]

Good news he wont be sacked and will see out his full contract no matter what.

It doesn't say that at all.

If we finish bottom , he wont have a job, .

[Gracie]

Good news he wont be sacked and will see out his full contract no matter what.

It doesn't say that at all.

If we finish bottom , he wont have a job, .

Jackstar you couldn't stay away

[blx]

Good news he wont be sacked and will see out his full contract no matter what.

It doesn't say that at all.

your right it doesnt, but you get the feeling they are about the list development at this stage and arent gonna chuck hissy fits if things go awry. Very very un-Richmond like but the right option IMO.

We simply must let Wallace fullfil his contract to the end.

When oh when are some of you numbskulls ever gonna learn that sacking the coach is not the answer! Sheesh how long did we do that for and it seems some still want to go down that path again and again and again...

[Mr Magic]

When oh when are some of you numbskulls ever gonna learn that sacking the coach is not the answer! Sheesh how long did we do that for and it seems some still want to go down that path again and again and again...

We didn't sack Frawley..

I guess if it's draft picks that you want then by all means be happy with a coach that is taking you to wooden spoons but if it's premierships you seek then I'll set my benchmarks a little higher thanks blx.

Not expecting a premiership but great coaches get the most out of young players.
Sheeds Baby Bombers springs to mind(no I am not advocating Sheeds).

Wallace has to get plenty more out of this developing list before he's safe to see out his 5 year plan.

[T2]

exactly magic

its not good enough just having a promising list built with some good draft picks, wallace is paid to get the best out of the young guys on the park which so far he has struggled to do

contract or no contract if the players arent responding to wallace anytime soon the pressure will be massive

[mightytiges]

We'll see over the next 2-3 years how much improvement we make now that the Club is finally putting resources into not only boosting our recruiting stocks but also our player development resources.

[Hellenic Tiger]

It seems Wallace has gone to the board in the last 12-24 months. I would tend to think sometime within the last 12 and told them we need to fully rebuild if we are going to give ourselves any chance whatsoever of attaining a level of excellence and consistency that has been lacking for the last 25 years.
The board have  grudgingly agreed so long as TW dedicates more time on the team and the nurturing of the youngsters in the squad and less time on his media persona and so called Terry's Tuesdays and stuff like that, stuff that Miller or a senior player could undertake.
With that agreement Terry has prolonged the wolves from his door due to the inexperience of the majority of the squad and the need to further develop a job that really has only just begun.
I feel that Terry as a minimum will see out 2008 barring drastic and poor results such as this year and as a maximum will have his contract extended at the end of 2009 depending on whether finals are attained or not.
I just feel that the club has only now after a very long harrowing and unstable time both on and off the field has started to get their house in order and from an off field sense it would be a waste of money to pay out his contract if he indeed gets sacked next year. After all the club is trying to distance itself from the deeds of previous administrations by sacking Wallace it would merely appease the fans and create the temporary change that accompanies that whilst carrying on the sacrifices previous admins carried out albeit with a different face at the head of it all. Furthermore it will hinder us financially as to pay Terry out for 12 or 18 months then look for a new coach who would have to be a big name bigger than Terry who will come with $$$$$$ attatched on his back. The money spent on the footy dep to me is evidence the board is sticking with Terry and his plan.
We are heading in a right direction talk like that should be canned at this stage of the year. We don't need any negativity at this stage. Sure the culture and psyche has to continue to transform but let it take its natural course.
I am willing to give TW an opportunity to write the wrongs of the first 3 years of his tenure and give him the opportunity to get it right.
That is just my humble opinion and where I stand on everything after enduring the lows of the first 18 rounds and the optimism of the last 4.
HT.

[Stripes]

I believe TW has little wrong and a great deal right in his brief stint at the club.

We needed to rebuild the list - he has and is doing that.
We needed to improve our membership - he has done that
We needed to lift our media profile - he has done that
We needed to start to be told the truth and given a realistic timeline for success - he has done that

TW hasn't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination - recruiting Kingsley for example but regardless he has layed his neck and reputation on the chopping block with his plan for success. TW could have done what ever other Tigers coach has done for decades and sort short term rewards but instead he has taken the harder road and sort real, prolonged, long term success.

If you are looking for improvements in young players look no further that Foley, King, Thursfield, Lids and even Jackson and Patto. Many have well and truly exceeded expectations while far more than these listed will undoubtably improve tremendously over the next couple of years.

I agree with you Hellenic Tiger that we should see out his contract regardless of this years results because if he was was to lose his job to another coach now they would reap all the rewards of his hard work which doesn't sit well with me at all.

Stripes